Pinned
by GazerockGirl
Summary: The members of Kogarasumaru have made it to high school; however, they are met with new trials after meeting Ayano. Eventually ocxlind.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything that's not mine of course, except for my ocs**

Chapter 1: Lone Butterfly

One slip and you're dead.

The pounding of one's heart is enough to send shivers down one's spine.

This rhythm of fear and excitement is what keeps me alive.

I flew through the night that had now taken over. My wings fluttered trying to match the beat of my ATs against the roof top railings. Tonight, was the night to escape. As the wind blew my dark hair wildly, i shifted my weight and jumped to the next building. They were after me for I had gone against them just like I planned to do.

"Get back here!" One of the men behind me yelled as he tried to catch up on his own ATs. The man was a part of the AT gang, Pitbull.

"Sorry, but I didn't like your guy's sound", I shouted back before jumping down into an alleyway.

Recently, I had no longer wanted to be a part of that gang. They couldn't help me with what I wanted and their way of riding was too brutal. I was one who loved to carve my road on an opponent, but it was different from these people who found it more of a sport. Also, they had caught the attention of other teams who wanted to squash them. No longer wanting to be part of that future danger, I resigned from them whether they liked it or not.

Most of the streets were empty at this hour. It was easy to maneuver through the small stands and dodge any debris. The gang still persisted and now I could make out three instead of one following me. One thing I had forgotten was the consequence of leaving their group. Quitting, resulted in having to be crushed by the people who believed you were betraying them. I thought I would be able to get away, however, my naivety proved to be my downfall considering the numbers I was up against.

"Think she would make a nice piece to my collection?" I heard one of them say while I made a sharp turn down another street.

"Of course. I'll capture her while the boss puts a pin in those wings of hers", another replied as the two bursted out in laughter.

I grimaced at the metaphor. The thought distracted me for a moment and before I knew it, I felt a sharp pain in my side. The attack was by the boss herself who wore that usual smug expression of hers. The surprise made me stumble and fall to the concrete as I cursed my own bad luck. Quickly I tried to recover and get up, but the others had caught up by now and I was soon surrounded.

"Can't fly away this time", one of them said as he grabbed a fistful of my hair to hold me in place. "Oi can we start then?" he asked impatiently directing the question to the leader.

"Yeah, but I get first punch", the girl said as she skated over closer to me. Bending down to my level, she held my chin forcing me to look at her. "One last chance to submit", she whispered to me.

I was tired from running away that my mouth felt too dry to answer at first. I sucked in a deep breath and tried to collect a bit of saliva in my mouth. This woman had always ordered her pack around and so the thought of one biting back drove her mad. She proved to be a control freak and so hearing me give in would've saved me from whatever punishment she had in mind. Closing my eyes, I took another deep breath reminding myself why I wanted to leave in the first place. I knew that there was another team I could join. This time the leader promised to help me and it was an opportunity I couldn't pass up on.

"I'd rather die", I said spitting at the girl. The image of my saliva sliding down her red face twisted in a pit of rage was enough to seal my fate. In one last escape attempt, I jerked my head back into the captors stomach. His grip on my hair loosened and I took that chance to get out of the hold and distance myself from the gang. "I'm more of a stray than a domestic", I smirked as the woman wiped off the spit.

"Seems this bitch needs to be put down after all", the leader grinned as she revved up her AT motor. Taking out her weapon, a whip strapped to her thigh, she charged at me with the intent to really take me out.

I grew worried and immediately dashed away. Something cold wrapped around my neck as I realized it was the woman's leather whip. she jerked it back causing my body to lurch backwards and crash against the floor. I struggled to get to my feet, but she cracked the rope hard against my head. With her AT pressed against my back, I prepared for the worst.

"Take this as a lesson boys", the leader barked, "No one, escapes me." she finished lifting up her leg while searching for that vital spot to injure my spine.

I rolled to the side as she brought her foot down. It broke the concrete while i simply stared imagining what it could have done to myself. Quickly I got to my feet about to make another run for it. However, I found my situation hopeless at the sight of the other members who blocked me off. 'Is this the end?' I thought looking up at the night sky. The stars were dim due to the streetlights, but I tried to spot them anyways. It kept my mind busy from my near doom. I could hear the sound of their ATs and their eager laughs.

12:00pm, midnight, 30 seconds and counting

I let out a deep breath counting the ticking seconds trying to mark down the exact time I would be dead. The air was changing and I was soon too scared to do anything. Silently I wished for someone to just come help. That person would have been my brother. It would be situations like this where he would come save me. No longer would I be able to fly again; no, I had long lost that.

33 seconds, 34, 35…

For those last moments I closed my eyes awaiting the final blow. I had given up and no longer deserved to run. The sound of the ATs suddenly grew louder, and then it was quiet. Only a single set seemed to be running followed by the sound of the others moaning in agony and pain.

"Fucking weaklings", I heard a voice say as I opened my eyes wondering what had happened.

The familiar emblem caught my eyes as I saw a new figure had appeared. I recognized this person as a member of the popular AT team, Kogarasumaru. It was none other than the current fang king who occasionally took out teams. I had never seen one of the members in action before except on television. Now, one stood before my very eyes surrounded by a heap of bodies that had been ready to kill me just seconds ago.

"Shit like this isnt even a warm up", I heard him mutter.

Finding the strength, I tried to think of what to finally say. "Um, thank you!" i shouted frantically. I gave a small bow with my body still shaking. It wasn't everyday i came across a king-level rider and being so close to one almost felt like a dream. Looking back up, I froze seeing his sharp golden eyes and fair skin stained with blood. 'He really is the Fang king', I thought to myself with a nervous gulp.

"The hell you say?" He asked having not heard me after all. "Bitch I wasn't trying to save your ass. Don't flatter yourself", he added with a smirk as I blushed embarrassed to have actually thought he intentionally saved me.

"Either way you helped me out. Just accept my gratitude", I muttered under my breath trying not to be annoyed at who I considered someone to admire. "Uh, bye then", I added, however, he had already ditched me by then. I puffed out my cheeks irritated and decided to just quickly get out of the area.

After the events that transpired that night, I knew that I had to change locations. Pitbull had more members than that and I was a bit afraid they would still try to come after me, especially if they asked for help from their allies I was fully aware of. My current high school would no longer prove to be safe and so I faked another address and guardian to switch schools in another district.

I had been conversing with the leader of another AT team about my acceptance. Being promised an actual place to stay and money from battles won was more than enough to convince me that they couldn't be that bad. I was sure to gain as much information as possible from them in order to prevent another case like last week. However, I had to undergo a test in order to join and the details for that had yet to be provided. For now, I could only wait and focus on transferring to my new school.

"Ah it was this turn I think", I mutter to myself trying to find Higashi High School. it was close by its junior high equivalent and some strangers had given me vague directions of its location. I cruised down the sidewalk on my ATs while making sure to keep track of the time. "Oh right here", I said to myself seeing the street name that corresponded to the one on my map.

Finally, I arrived at the school and stood outside its black gates for a few moments. My uniform has been delivered a few days beforehand and I fussed with the rather short skirt and ribbon that was tied too tight. Swiftly I changed into my school shoes, pulled down a bit on the skirt, and loosened my ribbon before heading to the front doors. Other students had already arrived and were lingering in the hallways as a few eyed me knowing that I was new.

The office was fairly easy to find, but locating my homeroom took up the rest of the free time i had before school started. The bell had rung while i stood outside talking to the teacher about me being the new addition to her class. With a simple nod, the lady headed inside the room beckoning me to follow her. I looked at the students noticing their confused, eager, or uninterested expressions while the teacher wrote my name on the board. Some of the faces started to seem familiar and soon it clicked in my head who some of these people actually were.

"Everyone listen up", The teacher said trying to gain her students attention, "We have a new student joining us." she added pushing me a bit forward. "Won't you please introduce yourself?" She said to me.

I nodded trying not to become too nervous. "I'm Kurizaki Ayano. Nice to meet you all", I said with a small bow.

The awkward silence that followed after made me wish I hadn't transferred so hastily. My old friends were long lost for I had no way of contacting them. Surely I figured they would soon forget me and move on with their lives while i had to deal with this situation. Eyes stared back at me as the teacher was deciding on where to have me sit. She finally saw an empty desk behind a rather small boy with blue hair and a white eyepatch.

'Oh no', I thought seeing that it was the boy from that one night. He had been staring off into space ignoring what was going on. Turning his head slightly, he raised an eyebrow seeming to recognize me after all.

Robotically I walked down the rows of desk to get to my seat. I glanced at the other students seeing that the current flame king was also not far from my seat either. With a sigh i sat down trying to avoid any unnecessary eye contact with the fang king. The teacher finally began class while I was too busy worrying about the rest of the day to really pay attention.

"Lucky. I rate her a B-", I heard someone say across from me. The comment made my stomach turn as i looked to see who had said it.

'Why me', I thought to myself resting my head on my desk. A perverted looking student had looked at me with that lecherous gaze of his. The overly plump lips, a uniform too tight, and that look in his eyes was enough to create a small ounce of bile in my mouth.

The bell rang eventually as a break ensued. I hadn't managed to really conversate with any of my classmates leaving me to get a snack by myself. I was glad that at least the vending machine wasn't too far. Taking out my wallet, I sighed at the small amount of change I had saved up from various loose end jobs. It was enough for a pack of melon bread and juice though which I was glad the school had. As the items fell down from its containment, I bent down to retrieve them while trying to cover my rear. Silently I cursed the uniform and decided to request a longer skirt in the near future or find my old pair of spandex shorts to wear underneath.

Ripping open the pack of bread, I pinched off a small piece. Heading back to class, I noticed some of my classmates up ahead, however, they were with some other students who I instantly recognized. I immediately went to the side of the wall and quietly munched on my snack not wanting to be noticed. I saw that the pig-headed boy was also among them which only made me want to be even more invisible.

"Ah its the new girl", Kazu muttered with Adachi wondering who he was referring to.

The group followed his gaze as the blonde pointed at me, a small girl with a high, black ponytail. He tilted his head finding me pressing herself against the wall and walking consciously. I sighed having seen him pointing at me and prayed that they would leave me alone. Unfortunately, one of them made his way over here with a childish grin. I already knew who he was and just kept a neutral expression while swallowing the piece of bread I had been chewing already.

"So you're new here?" He asked.

I nodded my head at the Storm king. "Yeah so", I muttered getting a bit defensive.

Suddenly the class pervert had made his way beside me. I felt his hand rest on my shoulder which made me instinctively try to inch away. "Ayano-chan transferred to my class. I think we should give her a tour right?" He said with a devious gleam in his eye. "She can then return the favor with a shot of her-ouch!"

"Shut up pig!" I shouted after having collided my foot against his face. The student crouched to the floor gripping his face in pain while I crossed my arms irritated by his actions. "I dont need a tour thank you very much", I huffed content with doing things on my own. "Now if you'll excuse me", I added turning on my heels to storm off to class.

"Ah hold up", Ikki said however I had already turned a corner and was out of sight.

I sipped on my juice as the bell soon rang. The perverted pig, beanie boy,and fang boy walked in casually. Already my expectations of Kogarasumaru had been shattered and I crushed the now empty juice box. The teacher then walked in and class started back up again. I sighed and rested my head in my hand seeing how different this school was compared to my last.

Once school ended, I was more than happy to escape the confined classroom. I grabbed my bag and headed to the lockers to get my ATs awaiting me. I changed out of my indoor shoes and locked my locker before proceeding to lace up my shoes. Silently I headed outside the doors wondering whether to find a job or start the homework dumped on to me.

"Oh you ride ATs too?" I heard a voice behind me say. Turning around, I was faced with a rather plain looking girl who wore her hair in two pigtails.

"Yes", I replied seeing that the obvious had been pointed out. "Do you ride?" I asked despite thinking she didn't seem to be the kind of person who would use air treks.

To my knowing, she shook her head. "Ah no I just help out", she said with a small blush. "Have you heard of team Kogarasumaru?"

"No duh", I replied wondering why she wanted to make such small talk with a stranger like me. To my dismay, I saw a familiar figure heading towards us. He stopped and looked down at my ATs. Now conscious, I took a step back wanting to get out of this situation. "Well I better get going then. Don't want to worry my parents you know", I said with a small lie tied in.

"Hey we could always use an extra person during practice", Ikki spoke up before I could make my escape. He grinned as if thinking it would help convince me.

"Thanks for the offer, but I really should get going. Maybe some other time", I said not planning to ever actually join them in practice. The thought seemed intimidating and I wasn't sure I would be able to handle and actual king-level work Before he could get in another word, I left the two.

I wandered around the town in search of a place to stay. The restaurants and inns renting rooms to their workers refused students and other places already had the help they needed. I stopped by an AT shop i came across which i made a mental note to remember. I always found myself tuning my own ATs and in search of different parts. Even that place though didn't accept me and the wage wasn't enough either.

"Just great", I sighed kicking an abandoned soda can on the sidewalk. It flew a few feet away before i eventually caught up to it and gave it another kick. In the end i spent a few minutes playing a lonely game of kick the can while time was running out. The streetlights soon came on and i found myself in the local park.

9:20pm, 15 seconds and counting

I found myself swinging on the parks swings. The gray seat was cool to the touch as the metal chain made my hands hurt after a few minutes. I kept swinging though not knowing what else to do. Each self push made me feel closer to the night sky as I squinted to find some stars. I kept counting the time, trying to keep track of the seconds for as long as my tired mind would allow.

"I forgot to do my homework", I muttered to myself despite knowing that was the least of my problems. I was a lost teen without parents to put her to bed, money to buy a decent meal, and an actual bed to sleep in now that I think about it. The only thing I had been doing during all this time was running as far as my air treks would allow me. When my leads would end I would just run until I found another clue.

This game though was tiring me out for another night. Slowly I lost the energy to keep swinging. Eventually it came to a stop as i stopped counting. For a moment I closed my eyes and rested my head against the chain. I knew it was no proper place to sleep however, and so I rose to my feet thinking that the nearby bench would be a better option. It was cold though and nothing like a real bed. I couldn't recall my past room was like.

"Goodnight Ayano", I muttered to myself about to lay my head down.

A shadow spread across my face. The sudden change in lighting made me open one eye wondering who it was. I soon was wide awake seeing the all too familiar kid from school. "Some house you have here", Ikki said sarcastically.

I glared at him not really liking the fact that someone knew of my situation. "It's pretty nice right?" I said equally as sarcastic. "Want to move in with me? There's plenty of space."

Before I could make another comment, I noticed his expression was rather serious. I gulped and awkwardly shifted my gaze to the ground. "Lets go", I heard him say, however the voice seemed distant for I was lost in thought.

"Wait what?" I said as he suddenly grabbed my arm to pull me up from the bench. "Oi what do you think you're doing?" I questioned.

Ikki had walked off not answering me at first. Stopping in his tracks, he turned his head to look at me. "We're heading home." He stated leaving me in a fit of confusion.

"Home?" I repeated finding it odd. "Um i don't think you understand this but i don't really have one-"

"Now you do", He said cutting me off.

I sighed seeing my protests were falling on deaf ears. I simply followed wondering what he meant by going home. In a few minutes, I found out that answer once we reached a small house. I stood outside the door wondering where i was exactly. While he pounded on the door and shouted for someone to open up, it dawned on me that he was actually letting me stay here for the night. The door soon opened revealing a pinked hair female with an irritated expression on her face.

Ikki explained the situation to her in a choppy manner. Apparently I would be questioned tomorrow. For now though, I only remember being pushed inside the warm house. I saw a futon unravel and blankets thrown at me.

"Goodnight Ayano-san", Ikki said as I was left surrounded by blankets, a pillow, and a mattress to lay on. I slowly laid down thinking this was too surreal.

"Thank you", I muttered into the pillow, "Night Minami-san", I added before breaking in tears down due to such kindness.

**End of first chapter so stay tuned for the next. Please make sure to read and review~**


	2. Chapter 2

**New update yay~ **

**Disclaimer: Don't own air gear and y'know the restDon't forget to R&amp;R**

Chapter 2: New Butterfly

"Oi you know we don't have that much space here", a voice shouted while I tried to sleep in peace.

"I couldn't just leave her there!" Another yelled back causing me to pull the covers over my head.

"What the fuck are you guys arguing about so early in the morning", someone piped in.

Squeezing my eyes tight, I simply wanted to remain sleeping. It had been so long since I made contact with such a comfortable futon and soft comforters. What had happened last night made me realize that I was in a strangers house. The fact that it was the Storm king himself already made me feel tense.

A sound of something colliding against the wall was the final straw. "What are you guys fighting about", I mumbled still a bit groggy. With a yawn, I opened an eye only to back away from the pairs of eyes staring back at me. "W-what?" I stuttered.

I recognized one of the other girls who also went to my school. Her red twintails made me realize she was another famed AT rider. We made eye contact for a brief second before I grew nervous at the awkward silence. The fighting had stopped and now everyone was watching my every move as if I was some newfound alien.

"So who's this bitch again", the blue haired boy spoke up as I narrowed my eyes at him. The others nodded also curious considering none of them really knew me.

I sighed rubbing my eyes while racking my brain for a proper introduction. "Ayano", I muttered, "Ayano Kurizaki", I answered as everyone had finally quieted down to listen to me.

"And where's your family? I heard Ikki found you in the park at night", a woman said. I looked over at her noticing she carried a small baby on her hip and her tired self seemed to make her the oldest and mature one of the group.

'Big family', I thought still in a daze while eyeing the innocent child. "It's been awhile since I last had the money to make a call", I replied.

I was well aware that my parents were off somewhere. However, they had long abandoned my brother and I when my father's company went bankrupt. All I knew was that mother went to America, while my father ended up who knows where. I guess the thought of knowing you're idea was stolen by another scientist was enough to destroy one's pride.

"That doesn't explain why you don't have a place to stay. How about I call them then?" The lady suggested as she was about to make her way to the phone.

I rolled my eyes thinking that it was a wasted effort. "If I say they're dead will that make things less complicated?" I said finally awake enough to get up.

"H-hey what do you mean by that?" The twin tailed girl asked. Her expression was more curious than before and held a worried look to it.

I brushed off her question and searched for my bag. I pulled out my uniform knowing my morning was slowly slipping away. "Well school is about to start", I pointed out with my clothes in hand. "Um where's the bathroom?" I asked wanting to quickly change the subject. Talking about my past with a bunch of strangers wasn't really how i wanted to spend my morning.

"It's down the hall on the left", a small girl spoke up as she pointed down the hallway with her baggy sleeved hand. I nodded in understanding and left the noisy bunch before I could be questioned any further.

After locking the bathroom door behind me, I let out a deep breath I wasn't aware that I held. They didn't need to know so much about me. Usually I went from place to place and so knew that there was no point in telling my life story to those I wouldn't be sticking around with for long. Finding a place to stay instead of depending on these people was another priority I needed to add to my list. The task though seemed daunting and the thought of sleeping in those soft sheets was a bit too tantalizing to give up so soon. Shaking my head of such wishful thoughts, I went to the sink and gazed at my ghastly appearance.

"They saw me like this?" I groaned staring at a rather baggy eyed girl with frizzy black hair. The usual ponytail was coming loose and so random strands of hair stuck out of place. "Such a mess", I muttered under my breath wondering what to do about my pale complexion.

Seeing that there was no time to continue fussing about my flawed morning self, I stripped off my pajamas. It was just an oversized shirt that had once belonged to my brother, along with cotton shorts that were beginning to wear out. I hadn't grown much and so held on to the small amount of clothing I was able to get over the time frame. In a few minutes I was already buttoning up my white collared shirt and zipping up my skirt. The others seemed to have been dressed already from my hazy memory of waking up to interrogation. After an attempt to fix my hair, I walked out of the bathroom to retrieve my socks and shoes.

"Woah these are so cool!" I heard a voice say causing me to pick up my pace. Curious as to what was so 'cool', I peeked into the living room only to see Ikki holding up one of my ATs. His happy expression matched the small child who was looking at the other shoe also finding it interesting.

"Ah I guess so", I said heading to my bag where my socks were. "You haven't seen that model before?" I asked although I had customised them and so figured they appeared as rather unique looking ATs than what the average rider was used to seeing.

"Well it just...feels different", Ikki said handing me the shoe as I slipped on my socks.

Lacing up the skate, I spun the wheel to make sure everything sounded good. A small sigh escaped my lips at the fluttery rhythm I heard from the ATs. "Alright, I'll leave first then", I said putting on my other shoe. After stashing my school shoes in my book bag, I made my way to the door.

"Why don't we just all head together? Although Agito left already" The redhead said appearing from the kitchen with an apple in her hand.

At first my eyes rolled at the thought, but I smiled anyways. "Sure", I agreed despite it not being my favorite option.

The three of us left the house and were off to school. I cruised on my ATs deciding to ride with leisure today. However, a sudden gust of wind sent my hair flying as I desperately held down my skirt. I looked up wondering what had happened only to see two pairs of wings in front of me. The sight made me pick up my own pace and soon I found myself trying to catch up to them.

Ikki and Ringo, which I managed to remember, were up ahead riding the wind in a carefree manner. I could only watch in envy for I knew that my level was no where near theirs. The frail wings attached to my own road were still weak and it would be a long time before I could reach the sky. This feeling of wanting to catch up made me question why I felt so motivated.

As we rode to school, the two pointed out various landmarks of the city. At times they slowed down for me seeing that I had a hard time. In my head I figured this difference was only due to the regalias both possessed and the experience they had. I was still considered a fledgling in the AT world. My mark on the world though, would one day be noticed. The road I carved on to past riders would accumulate to a vast path of crushed wings that piled high.

"We're here", Ringo chimed. I snapped out of my thoughts seeing that we were already at the school.

"Thanks for the tour", I said finally going ahead of them. "I'll be off to class then", I added giving a small wave to the two.

School went by more smoothly than yesterday. I picked up on the lessons and my teachers had no problem helping me during breaks. To my luck, it seemed the fang king didn't bring up about the situation at Ikki's house. It was reassuring to know that I wouldn't have to worry about other students and concerned adults asking about my life. That sense of safety was soon broken as I walked down the hallway during lunch.

"Ah Kurizaki-san", I heard someone call out causing me to stop. A plain looking girl with twin pigtails halted beside me.

"Yes?" I said wondering what the girl wanted from me. I wasn't much of a social butterfly due to not knowing anyone well enough to associate myself with them. The girl also didn't seem to be from my class and so my curiosity only grew.

"I heard you're staying with Ikki-san, Ringo-chan, and Agito-kun", she said causing me to internally groan.

My heart dropped as I figured she must have come to share some sort of sympathy for me. I noticed her change in tone at the mention of that blue haired punk, but I was too occupied with the information she knew to question it. "Yeah so?" I said no longer interested in what she had to say.

She looked down as if she wasn't expecting my reaction. "W-well I heard you're also a Storm Rider", she began finally making eye contact with me. I raised an eyebrow seeing that those kings were gossiping about me to their little gang. "I was just wondering if you wanted to join in on practice after school", she finished as I mentally cursed to myself.

'Is she actually serious?' I thought thinking such an invitation seemed fishy. Someone must've put her up to it, but I couldn't really think of the culprit at the moment. "What's your name?" I asked still debating on an answer to her suggestion.

Her eyes widen in surprise as if introducing herself wasn't even on her priority list. "Oh I'm Yayoi Nakayama", she said with a small bow.

"Ayano Kurizaki", I said wanting to get the introductions over with. "Well Nakayama-san, thanks for the invitation. I'll think about it", I said deciding to head back to class.

"Yayoi-chan!" A girl shouted as I heard footsteps running up to us. "Did you tell Kurizaki-san?" She asked. I stopped in order to listen to what the short-haired girl had to say.

Nakayama-san simply nodded. "Yeah. I was going to have her join us for lunch, but…", she trailed off as her eyes shifted over in my direction. I sighed seeing that it would be a bit rude to turn down the inferred offer.

"As long as I'm not too much of a bother, then sure I'd be happy to join you two", I said with a small smile. The other girls seemed relieved to hear my reply and Nakayama took hold of my hand and led me down the hallway.

Soon, we reached a door leading up to the rooftop. I raised a brow at the short haired girl wondering why anyone would want to be up here. Most of the faculty seemed to be against students waltzing about restricted areas. Yayoi opened the door and I tried to keep a neutral expression at the sight of the rest of Kogarasumaru.

"Good work Emily", the beanied haired boy said giving a thumbs up to the girl. She responded with a small blush and went ahead of us to take her seat beside him.

Self-consciousness overwhelmed me as I walked up to the group a bit close to Yayoi. So far she seemed to be the only one here who didn't make me want to choke a person. Being with such a group wasn't something I was used to. Even waking up in that crowded house was out of my comfort zone.

"Glad you could join us", Ikki spoke up as I took a seat by Ringo and Yayoi. No way was I planning to be anywhere near the fang king, and especially the perverted pig.

"U-uh yeah", I said shifting my gaze to the floor. Unsure of what else to say, I rummaged through my bag to retrieve the snacks I got from the vending machine. Making bets with the less intelligent students for money wasn't such a bad way to get a small meal. However, such a scam was probably a one day thing.

"So, Ayano right?" One of the members said as I took a bite out of my sandwich. A piece of bread almost choked me with the realization of how big the student was. It would be hard to accept the fact he was only a first year like the others.

Clearing my throat, I took a small slip of my water before focusing my attention on him. "Yeah thats right. What?" I said trying to recall his name.

Before he could respond, Kazu beat him to the punch. "Are you part of a team?" He asked.

"Not anymore", I said looking over at Agito for a moment. He seemed to ignore everyone else like usual and so I figured he wouldn't spill the beans about what happened.

"That's great then!" Ikki beamed causing me to raise an eyebrow at his sudden outburst. "We could always go for a new member. You should definitely join us", he suggested as some of the others nodded.

"Fuck no."

"No."

Both Agito and I responded simultaneously. Ikki's bright smile faltered for it was replaced with a quizzical look. It seemed that he figured the blue haired midget would have a reaction like that, however my disclination towards the idea wasn't expected. I took another bite of my sandwich trying to not sense this awkward silence approaching.

Emily was the first to break the silence. "Why not? Ringo did say you weren't a bad rider."

I shrugged it off unsure of how to really respond. There was already another team that I planned on joining. Releasing that information to these strangers though wasn't exactly part of my plan. "Most of you guys are all king-level storm riders. Surely such a competent team wouldn't need me", I reasoned. "Also I just got here. I don't see a decent reason as to why you would even suggest this in the first place."

Ikki scratched the back of his head as if searching for a comeback. "At least join us for practice", he said, "It's always after school."

"I'll keep that in mind then", I said hoping it would at least cause them to stop pestering me about it.

The end of lunch soon came. The others were too rambunctious for me to really enjoy my meal and the thought of actually joining them for practice didn't seem so bad. Walking back to class, I felt a small tap on my shoulder. The suddenness made me worry about who it could be.

"Um, here", a boy with striking cyan eyes said as he held out a white envelope. He mumbled pulling on his hood after I took the letter.

"Thanks", I muttered slipping the paper in my bag. It dawned on me that this person must be related to the team i planned on joining. However, I wondered how they were able to find my location so easily. Before I could ask the boy any questions, he had already disappeared in the crowd of students. I sighed seeing that I would just have to wait and see.

During class, I couldn't help but silently open the envelope. Inside was a plain piece of paper with a red apple stamped on the bottom. The note indicated that I would actually have to meet with another person after school. Contacting me this way must be such a pain and so I decided to get some form of communication for easier access.

"What's that?" I heard a voice say causing me to quickly stash the note in my desk. Apparently it was Agito after all with a look of suspicion across his face.

"Nothing." I responded not wanting to seem too rattled by his question.

"Fine then", he tsked seeing that he wouldn't be able to get any information out of me. A sigh of relief escaped my lips glad that he wasn't in the mood to really pry any further.

Once the last bell rang, I packed up my things not wanting to be late to the meeting spot. At the steps leading to the lockers, someone had called my name. "What do you-", I stopped my irritated remark seeing that it was Ikki and Ringo.

"Why in such a rush?" Ikki wondered as the two followed me. Swiping my shoes from my locker, I found a bench outside to put my ATs on. "Oi, I'm talking to you", he added slightly hitting my head.

"I have to go somewhere", I said after lacing up my shoes.

"Where? You can stay for practice and just go later", he said bringing up the offer of having me stay after school with them.

"I'll see you at the house. Sorry maybe some other time", I said brushing past the two. Revving up the motor, I left the two before they could question me any further. 'Geez don't worry about me', I thought hearing Ringo call after me.

Whoever I was supposed to meet with, was over an hour late by now. Constantly I looked at my watch and reread the letter thinking that maybe I was in the wrong. That was not the case and I grew impatient while waiting by the town's local cafe. The sun was going to set soon and I didn't bother bringing along a jacket.

"Ah found you", a bubbly voice said. Immediately I snapped my head in the direction of where it was coming from.

A young woman stood before me with an innocent smile on her face. She slinked her way towards me. I could tell she was possibly the right person judging by her own pair of ATs and also an emblem appliqued on her sweater stretching over her rather large chest. "Caught you looking", she purred snapping me out of my thoughts as I realized the amount of space that had closed between us.

My face flushed a pale pink. "I wasn't looking at anything", I denied. The woman's smirk grew wider as she placed a hand on my chest. "H-hey what are you-"

"Jealous?" She said removing her hand to cup my cheek. Instinctively I took a step back causing her to frown slightly. "Learn how to take a joke sweetie", she said digging into her pocket and pulling out a piece of paper.

"Who are you?" I asked unsure of who the members even where of that team. The research only got me so far for the storm riders wore masks in all battles, thus hiding their identity.

"You'll know if you pass", she said slipping the paper in my shirt. I blushed from embarrassment seeing how easily she could touch me. "Don't be late", she said before walking away.

For a few moments I stood dazed by what had just transpired. "Get a hold of yourself", I muttered lightly slapping my cheeks. Taking a deep breath, I opened up the crumpled paper to read what was on it. "Next week it seems", I said to myself seeing that my entry test would occur soon.

Heading back home, I thought to myself about what would change if I got accepted. Surely I would still attend school, but I wondered if staying at the Noyamano house was going to just make things difficult. Reaching the house, I knocked causing the house to fall silent for once.

"And where have you been?" Ikki asked as he answered the door.

Leaving my bag by the door, I slipped off my shoes and headed inside. "Nothing." I answered taking a seat on the couch.

"You were gone for a while though", he pointed out as Ringo entered the room. "It's not like you could've done much." He muttered.

I rolled my eyes at his comment. Being in a new place with no money really did limit my access to things. Pointing that fact out though was unnecessary in my mind. "I don't need you interrogating me about my own business. Stick your nose somewhere else", I scoffed.

"We're just worried about you Ayano-chan", Ringo spoke up. I gave her a sharp glare not wanting to talk about what happened.

"Well stop it", I said.

Ikki stomped his way over to me. I looked up at his annoyed face seeing it was an expression I had yet to witness. Before he could say something, Mikan had exited from the kitchen.

"Dinner's ready", she called out as I took the chance and escaped from the questioning.

The scene of so much food laid out in front of me caused my mouth to water slightly. Rika offered me a seat beside her which I gladly took. 'Looks delicious', I gulped debating on what to eat first. "Thanks for the food", I said before taking my chopsticks and piling my plate with whatever my stomach wanted.

During the meal, I was too overjoyed to think about the test. It had been a while since a homecooked meal was placed in front of me. Taking another sip of water, my gaze met with Ikki who sat across from me. The atmosphere felt tense as his eyes hardened. A feeling of guilt was lodged in my throat which ruined my appetite. Laying down my utensils, I broke away from the eye contact and excused myself from the table.

Escaping to the bathroom, I gazed at my reflection. "Get a hold of yourself", I muttered wondering what to really do. I now was faced with suspicion from Ikki and maybe even Agito. For now, I just had to keep my mouth shut for another week and remember who I was doing all this for.

**End of Chapter**

**So, what do you think? Was it worth the wait? **

**Either way, don't forget to review and let me know what you think**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Finally I have updated this story with the third chapter. Unfortunately it's not as long as the others due to the fact that it's too long so I'm splitting it up into two chapters. Now we get to some action and more time with Ayano's mysterious new team she is trying to join. Enjoy and don't forget to review please~**

Chapter 3: Desperate Butterfly

A week had passed in the blink of an eye. At the designated place, two figures stood atop a tall building over looking the town. Both were storm riders dressed in the same team jacket. As one tossed an apple in the palm of his hand, the other looked around for any sight of the person they were waiting for.

"She's late." One of them muttered impatiently. "Are you sure Suzu met up with her last night?" The elder looking twin asked.

"If you think I didn't do my job right then stop right there Akira", the other boy said.

Akira whispered an irritable stream of words before silencing himself. Taking a seat on the concrete roof, he laid down facing the sky. "A few more minutes", he said closing his eyes, "then we'll just leave."

Meanwhile, I checked my watch constantly while waiting outside the convenience store. Ikki had dragged me along to go grocery shopping for Rika. I was too preoccupied about the meeting and so stayed outside to keep my cool. "Damn Im running late", i sighed tempted to just leave right now.

Just as the thought crossed my mind, Ikki walked out of the store with two bags in hand. "It's pretty hot huh?" He said holding out a can of juice.

Reluctantly i took it not wanting to turn down the kind offer. Taking a quick sip, i checked my watch again only to see that there wasn't any time left to waste. I hesitated for a moment knowing that i needed an excuse to get out of this trip. Looking down the street, it proved rather crowded on the weekend and surely he would be slowed down by the bags.

"Sorry I have to go now", I said as Ikki looked at me with a puzzled expression. Digging through my backpack, I pulled out my ATs as he started to ask me numerous questions.

"Go where? I didn't know you made plans today", he muttered trying to figure things out on his own. "

I sighed knowing that running off would lead to further interrogation afterwards. "Sorry I can't really tell you." I said storing my shoes in my bag. "Forgive me."

Dropping the plastic bags, I ran off before Ikki could get in another word. The message told me that two of the members would be waiting for me. After a few minutes, I stopped in front of a rather large gaming company. The automatic doors opened as I stepped cautiously inside.

"Ah there you are." A voice chimed. I turned my head to see the receptionist motioning me to come over. Reluctantly I obliged and she gave me a small card granting me access to the rooftop. "They'll be up there. Good luck." She grinned as I headed over to the elevator.

I wondered who the lady was. She knew why I was here and maybe even knew who the people waiting for me were. The elevator ride to the top soon ended. The door opened and I saw two people leaning against the railing at the edge of the rooftop.

"Yeah she's here finally." One of them said. The other motioned for me to walk towards them. I gulped feeling an intense aura emitting from both red haired boys. The one of the phone finally hung up and looked over at me with piercing blue eyes. "You're late." He stated. My head lowered as I apologized for my tardiness. Joining this group really was important to me, yet already I was screwing up. The debate about leaving the Noyamano house still lingered on my mind.

"Oi Akira, cut her some slack", the other twin spoke up. He tossed an apple back and forth while eyeing my every move. I realized that he was the boy who gave me the letter at school.

"Whatever." Akira, I figured, huffed. He then took a step closer looking down on me. "Are you serious about wanting to join?" He asked.

"Y-yes!" I answered. My nerves got the me causing my voice to squeak out in a high pitched sound. The boy smirked not noticing my feelings, or maybe he just didn't care.

"Good. Since I have somewhere to be soon, your test won't be that long or difficult." He said causing me to sigh relieved that it wasn't anything too hard. "Just get that apple from Azusa."

I looked over at the other boy tossing the apple in the air. He avoided eye contact and simply threw the red fruit at me. The apple fumbled in the air before I could manage to get a grasp on it. Confusion crossed my face wondering if I had just passed.

The apple laid in my outstretched hand extended at Akira. His hardened look softened into a smirk. "Um I got the-"

A sudden gust of wind whipped past me. For a second I closed my eyes before my strands of dark blue hair swiped at my eyes. Once the wind had passed, the apple was no longer in my hand, but up in the air. The other boy, Azusa, revved up his ATs and easily caught the apple in the air now behind me. At that moment, I felt only a sliver of the boys power which felt overwhelming compared to my own.

"Ayano Kurizaki", he called out. Azusa now balanced on the railing with the apple bouncing from hand to hand. "Steal this back, if you can that is." He grinned before falling off the building.

I nodded knowing it was too late to turn back now. "You're on", I muttered before chasing after him.

He was fast; no beyond that. It was difficult to keep up and among the blur of people, I tried to focus on the bright red sticking out from the crowd. Occasionally he looked back to make sure he was still ahead of me. For the next few minutes it was just a simple race that wouldn't end until I got the apple or gave up trying.

He ducked down an alleyway in the blink of an eye. I caught sight of the tail of his coat disappearing around the corner before I ended up losing him. We were now around a more familiar area to me once we passed the park. I noticed that we would end up completing a big circle by the end of this. At this rate I wouldn't win this. Hope was running low and my speed was already declining.

15 minutes and 48 seconds counting, since we started.

My eyes scanned the area for anything I could use to my advantage. The distance between us was widening and so I had to stall him if even for a few seconds. Taking a deep breath, I gathered some power in my right leg. A surge of pressurized wind due to the sudden break of my speed gushed out from my ATs and was comprised in one solid form.

"Solid Fang!" I called out feeling the slight pain in my thigh. I hadn't practiced the technique often and so my body wasn't used to the sudden jolt.

Two girls yelped in surprise. They were in the middle of jump roping which abruptly stopped. I breathed out a sigh of relief glad that they were okay and quickly made my way over to the confused girls. "I have to borrow this for a sec." I said seizing the thin, plastic-like rope. With new found hope, I dashed after the boy ignoring the sour looks from the girls.

I took a shortcut past the air trek shop. The same flamed haired boy sat on a bench calmly drinking a can of juice. 'Hmph he's so confident', I thought knowing he took a break to recover from my attack. Silently I made my way over to him in hopes of a surprise attack.

"Geez what is Akira thinking." He muttered causing me to stop in my tracks. "We're just wasting time."

"Well excuse me for being a waste of time", I scoffed. He dropped the can in surprised and quickly rose to his feet. "You guys think you're so high and mighty, well I'm making it a personal job to prove you wrong."

Apparently my declaration didn't affect him in the slightest. He tossed the apple with a blank, unreadable expression causing silence to fill the air. "Since you are so determined", he began catching the apple and tucking it away in his pocket, "I won't go easy on you."

"W-wait what do you mean?" I gulp[ed. My confidence was draining away at the sight of his composed self. This whole time it had just been me chasing after him. The thought that he planned on going on the offensive made me go pale.

"A battle." He stated. "Running around for half an hour is getting boring. I want to see what you're really made of and how badly you want to actually join. Show me your fangs once more."

'He's really serious!' I thought hearing the buzzing of his ATs growing louder. 'Is he going to kill me?' Sweat trickled down from my brow at the fear growing inside me. Adrenaline pumped loudly in my veins and suddenly my instincts kicked in the second I lost sight of him.

A crack formed on the ground where I should've been. My ears picked up on the hum of gears spinning and I barely dodged his first attack. Clear blue met with dark in the now empty space. My head was still frazzled with fear of the unknown enemy in front of me. I heard something crackle and shot a fang as a reflex. He easily dodged and headed towards me.

"Just get the apple." I told myself blocking a punch to the face. Taking hold of his coat, I made a grab for the apple lying inside his pocket. A pulse shot through my arm and immediately caused me to pull away. "Damn." I cursed wondering what shocked me. The answer soon revealed itself as a smirking storm rider of the Rising Road.

"You won't win if that's all you've got." He sighed running a hand through his hair. Small, blue sparks shot out from the contact.

"Good thing that's not all I've got then." Taking hold of the rope I brought with me. He raised a curious brow and tried to hold in a laugh. "Oh shut up it's not like that", I muttered. Capture the prey, then eat them. Right now he was too fast to catch, and what better use could a rope be than this.

I swung the rope like a rancher getting a strayed cattle. The boy knocked away the first attempt. While we were here in this small space, I attacked in every possible direction. It was no longer him physically avoiding, but rather the rope bounded off him. "The hell is this?" I questioned trying to get him in a bind once more.

"Magnetic force field idiot", he stated with a cocky look to him. "Electric charges collide with the rope and reflect its wave. In simpler words, I'm always one step ahead of you."

"Always ahead huh?" I whispered to myself. It finally bothered me. The test, dealing with perverted old ladies, and now this haughty bastard. "Well for fucks sake." I yelled wrapping the rope around my hand.

"What do you think you're doing?" He asked tilting his head to the side confused.

"About to wipe that smug look off your face." I spat.

Breaking his shield would need a lot of force. I needed some time to let my leg rest before using another Solid Fang again. Thanks to our chase coming to a halt, my breath caught up to me, and the wind became still. A fang launched from my AT and to my guess, Azusa didn't intend to dodge it. The attack collided with the electric field leaving a small opening. Taking a deep breath, I charged at him.

His eyes widened as my roped fist collided with the already weakened shield. Sparks flew as the rope burned due to the friction. Azusa was paralyzed in shock and repeatedly asked me to stop. However, I wasn't about to let the pain stop me now. The material of the rope was slowly withering away, but lasted just long enough. The distance between us was now zero, and the hit made him stumble backwards.

My other hand grabbed him by the collar to keep him from falling over. "Where's that grin now?" I smirked reaching in to his coat for the apple. "See you back at the roof", I added before bolting out of there.

**End of chapter. How was it? I'll try to get the next half up soon hopefully. I also want to thank those who reviewed and encouraged me to actually stop procrastinating and update this fic. So thanks guys/girls.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Finally got around to updating. Took forever to finish up this chapter, but here it is. I know I said chapter 3 was supposed to be split into 2 parts, but this one was so long I decided to make it its own chapter. ****Enjoy and don't forget to read and review.**

**Disclaimer: Of course I only tak ecredit for my own ocs and plot. All original Air Gear characters, etc., belong to the author.**

**Chapter 4: Fleeing Butterfly**

My other hand grabbed him by the collar to keep him from falling over. "Where's that grin now?" I smirked reaching into his coat for the apple. "See you back at the roof", I added before bolting out of there.

45 minutes, 31 seconds and counting.

My heart raced at an incredible speed. I finally got the best of Azusa, but now keeping up the lead was causing a panic to stir inside me. The apple was clenched in my hand with my nails digging into the skin as if afraid to drop it. Occasionally I looked back to see if he was still behind me, but for now there was no one.

The enemy was gone. My legs were wearing out from the tiring chase and the two fangs. Sheer willpower and fear of getting caught kept me moving without missing a beat. The wind began to pick up again and I could hear a faint crackle in the background. I knew he was fast, but not this fast.

"Shit!" I cursed as pain shot up my arm. I came to a halt and swiftly spun around. Left, then right, my eyes scanned the area for where he could've attacked. A flash of red flew past and I finally saw him staring down at me with those piercing cyan eyes.

"I didn't expect you to get this far", he grinned cracking his knuckles. "Seems you're better than I thought. I can't afford to hear it from Akira so looks like I'll have to step up my game."

I gulped and dashed away. The thought of what he had in mind was enough to strike fear into me once more. Already I was beginning to pick up pace and ignored my haggard breathing. The crackle in the distance kept my motivation up.

'A few more blocks', I thought to myself while turning another corner. A few minutes passed and I could see the tall building up ahead.

A gust of wind picked up and for a moment I stumbled. I tucked away the apple in my jacket while trying to keep the wide distance between us. I sucked in another deep breath trying to ignore the already forming sweat. For a moment I was grateful for the sudden shading; however, realization struck that this was caused by no cloud.

The concrete cracked as chunks of debris was sent flying. I barely dodged despite being launched against a nearby parked car. Passersbys stared in shock and fear. Quickly they shuffled away not wanting to get caught up in the fight. I noticed the hesitation in his eyes before dodging an attack denting the car.

'Okay I got this then', I thought while ducking into the crowd. A busy Saturday was just my luck for he seemed to stop his offense for the time being.

The building was now within sight. Azusa was nowhere to be found and so I sighed relieved to have hopefully lost him. Entering the building, I went up the familiar elevator leading to the roof top. Outside stood the other twin leaning against the railway. He noticed my presence and turned his attention towards me. I gulped wondering if that smug look was supposed to be a good or bad thing.

"Oh? So that kid lost", he muttered closing the distance between us. I felt a heavy hand rest on my shoulder sending a shiver down my spine.

I regretted the moment I found the little speck courage to look him in the eyes. Dark blue met with a dull turquoise slightly hidden by locks of red hair. Eyes really did create a window to one's soul. The difference in power could be felt without even needing a demonstration. I gulped trying to get my breathing under control. Juice from the apple began to slide down my hand from gripping it so hard.

"Scared?" I heard him muttered while grabbing my arm. Instinctively I let go of the apple as my eyes watched his every move. Trying to recover, I picked it back up avoiding any eye contact from now on. This person was surely far more dangerous than Azusa. "Good." His smile revealed snapped my concentration from the shock.

"Oi Akira", a voice called out. I looked past the fear and saw the other twin with a sour look on his face. "You can do the intimidating later. It's already clear she's not stupid enough to go against us." He added removing his brother's grip on me.

Akira gave a slight glare before redirecting his attention back to me. The boy snatched the apple out of my hand and threw it to the floor. "Alright you passed. Whether that was a fluke or my brother being too soft, I'll let it slide for now." He stomped on the rotting fruit causing me to flinch as if that was me being crushed. "Welcome to Eve's Garden." He grinned outstretching his hand towards me.

Hesitantly I shook his hand knowing not to be tricked by his sudden happy expression. "I'll be in your care then." I muttered happy to have finally made it. "Don't forget our deal though", I added pushing back my joyous mood and replacing it with a cold stare. This was the person who promised to help me out as long as I proved to be a useful member.

His smile faltered. "Ah right", he said as if making it seem like the deal had been forgotten so easily. "But for now, let's focus on getting you set up for the team." He added dismissing the deal and reaching for something in his pocket.

I shrugged deciding to just go along with it this time. The boy revealed a key explaining that it opened the door to my new apartment. Tossing it to me, I caught it glad that he at least kept the promise to get me a place to stay. "Um thank-"

"Next Saturday at 8pm", Akira said cutting me off. Akira and Azusa were already walking away back towards the elevator. "Try not to be late this time", he added looking back to give me one last glare. I gulped and simply nodded not wanting to be late next time for sure.

Whether to head back to the Noyamano house or continue walking around town, I couldn't decided. Already an hour had passed and I knew it was getting late by now. The thought of dealing with the numerous questions that would spew out of the crow's mouth made me even more reluctant to head back there. The key to my new home rested in my pocket wondering when to be used. The decision to stay or go still weighed on my mind to the point the sun had already set.

Eventually I stood outside a small restaurant. Worrying so much made me hungry and it was another way to waste time. Cautiously I walked inside not having been to such a place in a long time. I had been in charge of carrying the money for the shopping today. While I felt bad for using Ikki's money selfishly, the smell of the food from inside made me quickly dismiss my guilt.

One of the employees greeted me at the door. She gave a small smile curious as to why I was dining alone. Simply shrugging off her attempt at small talk, I was seated at a small booth towards the window. The girl placed down the menu while proceeding on with her practiced regurgitation of announcing the daily specials and what drink I wanted first. After writing down an order for a plain water, she finally left me to think to myself in peace.

I sighed slumping down in my seat. The thought of getting my own place was enticing. However, I worried over how leaving the Noyamano house suddenly would prove complicated. Silently I cursed to myself knowing I should've declined the offer to stay with Ikki from the start. Now I would have to make a final decision, confused on why it felt so hard to make in the first place.

My drink came which served as an easy distraction. I swirled the straw around trying to get my thoughts together. Leaning in to take a sip I noticed a familiar pair entering the restaurant. Sinking further into my seat I took another sip now nervous. To think that out of all the places we would end up at the same restaurant.

"Oh isn't that Kurizaki?" One of them spoke. Judging from the feminine voice it was Adachi. As she was led down the rla of the tables, Kazu followed suit auth that dingy beanie of his.

"Ah you're right. Hey there Kurizaki," Kazu greeted with a lazy wave. I mentally cursed to myself regretting having come here. Silently I just nodded my head acknowledging his greeting. It was obvious they were on a date and slowly I was turning into a third wheel. Impatience was beginning to show on the waiter's face who asked repeatedly if the two would hurry and take their seats. For a moment I was relieved that they would be seated elsewhere, and I could go back to thinking by myself.

"Mind if we join you Kurizaki?" Adachi asked suddenly entering my personal space. Before I could even reply, she took a seat opposite of me all the while pulling Kazu into the booth with her.

I rolled my eyes seeing that she made herself comfortable either way. The waiter set down the menus for the other two glad to have dealt with them finally. My own server arrived shortly after only for me to send her away since I had lost my appetite already. Now the three of us sat in silence with an awkward atmosphere around us. Clearing his throat, Kazu was the first to speak up.

"So um, weren't you and Ikki supposed to be shopping together?" He asked. My heart sank seeing that I was already in the midst of being caught so early.

"Oh yeah I was," I said trying to think of alternative reasons. "We finished early, so he went home first." I added as two listened to my lie closely. "So what brings you guys here?" The question flowed wanting to quickly switch topics.

Before Kazu could respond, Adachi cut him off. "This our usual hangout spot. I love the food here." She grinned.

"Yeah, the other guys have also been here before. This one time Ikki-" Kazu paused as something vibrated. Casually he fished his phone out of his pocket. "Well speak of the devil, hey Ikki." He said answering the call. My heart froze wondering what that babyface wanted. "Kurizaki? She told me you guys finished early and you went home first." He said now narrowing his eyes at me. I took a nervous sip avoiding what had now turned into an accusing glare. "Well she's right here if you want to talk to her. Me and Emily ran into her at that one restaurant."

'Shit he knows where I'm at now,' I thought as Kazu handed me the phone. "What?" I blurted out unable to admit an apology to Ikki for my sudden disappearance.

"Where the hell have you been?" He shouted causing me to quickly retract the phone from my ear. "And you took my money bitch. Don't you know how worried Rika is?" The yelling continued as a few other people began to turn heads wondering what was going on.

"Chill out okay." I sighed not wanting anyone to worry over me. "I just had another errand to do." Both Adachi and Kazu looked puzzled and I felt slightly guilty for ruining their date. Ikki fumed for a few more moment as I kept refusing to explain myself any further. "I'll head back right now. I needed to pack my bags anyways." I said deciding to leave after all.

No longer yelling, Ikki grew quiet after realizing what I had said. "Why?" I kept silent unable to truthfully answer his question. "Where are you supposed to go if you leave?"

Before he could ask anymore questions, I hung up. Quietly I got up from my seat while leaving a tip for the server. Despite not having ordered anything, she was smart enough to avoid my table. At the corner of my eyes I saw her conversing with the impatient waiter from before.

"Are you really leaving?" Adachi asked still confused by the conversation.

"See you guys at school", was all I said before walking away.

Exiting the restaurant, I headed down the street. Already the sun had set and so I stopped for a moment wanting to slip on my ats. It was always a pain having to switch, but it helped me blend in with everyone else. In a new town without protection from another team, I couldn't risk getting caught up in a battle. However it was dark and I lacked comfort with this atmosphere. Having my own weapon with me made it seem much safer while heading home.

"Ugh that's not your home idiot." I groaned slapping my cheeks. Already I was getting sucked into that family and I couldn't afford to gain any attachments. The previous teams I've been in taught me how those closest to you were the first to be targeted easily.

The hum of the motor sounded through the night. Eventually I was halfway there before a loud noise erupted from up ahead. Instinctively I stopped trying to analyze what I heard. Someone shouted, and a body was thrown out from the alleyway. The villain emerged aiming to finish off the enemy. The familiar emblem on his jacket made me shudder at the realization that Pitbull had made its way here.

"This area is under our control now." He said grabbing the boy by his collar. For a few moments he started to beat the boy while shouting slurs of hate.

Just watching began to irritate me. Those guys were always jerks and I never got to finish them off. Surely one would be easy to take on. While he was distracted with beating the boy into submission, I crept close enough to launch a fang. The guy finally noticed me.

"Oh its you", he muttered releasing the kid. "The brat who got away with disrespecting the boss and leaving the pack." I sighed seeing that I was still the hated topic in the gang. "Think I'll get a promotion if I offer her your head?"

He was just like a dog willing to do anything for praise and an extra bone. Most of the members were like that so it didn't take me by surprise. "Get out of here already." I said directing a harsh glare at the teen who hadn't escaped by now. Realizing his chance, he bolted out of there. I grinned to myself happy to see the smart and selfish act, just what I would've done. "Alright dog, now what was that about taking my head?"

His face grew red in frustration at my lack of fear. Thinking he could make me eat my words, the man charged at me aiming to attack. Easily I dodged and created some distance between us. He was just another follower like the others and so I already gauged his power level. Quickly I headed off to a less populated area where I could deal with this fool without the worry of destroying the surrounding area.

Once I secured a good location, I spun around to face the enemy head on. I launched a fang catching him off guard. He took on the attack, recovered, and charged again. It wasn't hard to read his movements for his punches were sloppy and easy to predict. Dodging a kick to the face, I felt a sharp pain on the side of my face.

"Cheater", I muttered wiping at the now small cut on my cheek that bleeded slightly. The enemy simply grinned showing off the knife he brought along with him. I should've expected such an obvious outcome before taking him on. However, I could on try to defeat him and hope to get out of this unscathed.

Once again, I attacked with another fang. With the distraction, I closed the distance between us and landed a punch to his stomach. The man doubled over muttering all kinds of curses. I smirked glad to have the upper hand now. Wasting no time, I aimed a kick at his leg wanting to immobilize the prey. Destroying his mobility to escape would make this fight all the more easier.

All of a sudden, I felt a sharp pain in my leg. Instead of him crying out in agony, I was fell to one knee and clutched my bleeding leg. The dog loomed over me with his bloodied knife in hand. I gave him one quick glare trying not to let the pain bother a deep breath, I attempted to stand; however, he punched me back down to the ground. My energy to stand was slowly diminishing. For a few moments I wanted to just lie where I was until the bleeding stopped. Of course that was impossible with the knife being brought to my face as I felt my body being lifted from the ground.

"You have a lot of fucking enemies huh?" I heard an annoyed voice say. Turning my head, I saw the familiar Fang King. Silently I curse to myself finding it embarrassing that he would see me in another desperate situation.

"The hell are you?" The gang member questioned dropping me to the floor. "You this bitch's knight in shining armour or what? Oi, I'm talking to you tiny brat." He said waving the knife in front of Agito. I smirked at the fact this guy thought he could take on a king-class rider.

"You seriously couldn't handle a weakling like him?" He signed staring at me who had managed to get back on my feet. I looked away already knowing my own naivety and weakness. "Fine, I'll do it for you." He muttered cracking his knuckles. "I was planning on getting more territory anyways."

The man looked from me to Agito unsure of why the pipsqueak was so confident. He took a defensive stance not knowing what to expect. Agito decided to attack first wanting to entrap the man in his array of hooks. I expected the fight to be over with, but someone stepped in to the scene. She wore a similar jacket I saw the twins with and I felt a gust of chill air erupt from her.

"I was worried about our new member so followed her home. Aw geez to think that Ayano was sucha easy target for meanies like him." She said pointing over at the gang member. The girl immediately disrupted whatever coolness she had to her. Before me was just a childish girl who didn't even seen like she had a chance. "Gah and even the Fang King shows up, you're quite the magnet for bad guys", She added as I felt her arms wrap around me. My eyes widened wondering how she got so close to me so quickly. "Have no fear though, I, Fuyuka Yukimura shall banish these villains before us."

"Wait, who the hell are you?" I questioned creating some distance between us. "I don't remember ever meeting a Fuyuki."

"Fuyuka you peasant!" She shouted correcting me. "I'm a member of Eve's Garden just like you." She said causing the man to go pale. Turning her attention back to the fight, she headed over to the enemy not letting her icy gaze falter.

My eye widened as she pushed Agito to the side. Even he was caught off guard, but quietly scowled at the girl instead of attempting to shred her to pieces. "I can take over from here sharky", she giggled. "This is now a fight between Eve and Pitbull. Kogarasumaru doesn't have anything to do with this." Fuyuka muttered darkly. "Alrighty then, prepare yourself! I'm going to make a human popsicle out of you." She called out pointing at her target.

I gripped my arms feeling a cold chill all of a sudden. Slowly, light frost covered the ground and my breathing made small ghosts each second. I looked over at Agito wondering what he thought of the situation, but he kept his hard glare and was too focused on what Fuyuka planned to do. Sighing, I too shifted my attention to the battle having almost missed the first attack.

Fragments of ice was sent flying back at us from the loud crash. After shielding my eyes, the green grass had been coated in white frost. The nearby trees were frozen solid as well. In the center of what felt like a frozen wasteland, was the white haired girl tapping on a case of ice enclosing the Pitbull member. The man was frozen solid and was only able to move his eyes. Despite him having attacked first, I felt a bit sorry for his vulnerable state.

"Ta-da", Fuyuka said in a sing song voice. She tapped on the ice once more before giving it a small lick. "This one doesn't taste as good as the last", she sighed in disappointment. "Bye-bye then."

Once again I was struck with shock. The girl slammed her AT into the ice. Small cracks began to form all over the frozen figure. Another swing, and it all shattered. The enemy had been broken into pieces of ice beginning to slowly melt. Before I could even feel any remorse, Fuyuka broke the silence.

"You're welcome fledgling", she grinned patting me on the shoulder. "Akira told me to remind you not to betray us by the way." She whispered menacingly in my ear sending a shiver of fear down my spine. "See you later, bye."

I stood for a another minute or two after she left. I had no idea what I had just gotten myself into now. The team seemed far more dangerous than Pitbull ever was. "Who the fuck was that?" Agito said pulling on my arm. "The hell are you doing behind our backs?"

"Nothing. It's none of your business." I answered walking off. I couldn't face anyone now. Quickly, I just wanted to grab my bags and leave. It seemed that I stayed here too long.

In silence, the two of us headed back. I ignored all of Agito's questions not really having answers for any of them. "Kurizaki", he called out, but the tone felt different from usual. It was more timid, and when I finally stopped to face him, his eyes looked more normal. "I know you have your reasons for not telling anyone about this", he began holding onto my sleeve as if he knew I was tempted to run away right then. "but I want to let you know the three of us are just worried about you."

"Three?" I questioned wanting to switch the subject to anything besides me leaving to join another team. Ikki already told me about Agito and Akito, but I didn't think there was a third persona. Shaking off the confusion, I decided to change topics. "Look, I want to stay, but plans have changed." I sighed as we reached the house. Taking a deep breath, I opened the door bracing myself for an array of questions and arguing. Already a shoe was thrown my way which I barely managed to dodge.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Fuck yeah I finished chapter 5 after like...forever. Enjoy, read, review, and all that jazz. Pray that I don't take an eternity to update the next chapter.**

**Disclaimer: Obviously I only take credit for my own ideas. Original Air Gear characters, etc. belong to the creator.**

Chapter 5: Translucent Butterfly

A shoe flew out the door just as I opened it. Luckily, I dodged the object and made in inside the house safely. However, even worse than a flying shoe was Ikki. He stood in the middle of the living room with brows knitted together in anger and a hand reaching for his other shoe to throw. Akito grew worried and took me to the couch while keeping an eye out for anything crazy Ikki might pull.

"Where the hell were you?" Ikki questioned while the other people in the house were entering the living room curious as to what was going on. Ringo also stood there watching me with concern in her eyes.

"None of your business." I answered dodging his curiosity.

I headed to where my bag laid. Over the few days spent here I had actually gotten used to this place. A few of my things were scattered about, but quickly I managed to repack them back into the small duffel bag. Ikki continued shouting though filling the background noise with a variety of colorful language. Akito was also trying to calm the situation down as well as Ringo who had her own input.

"Ayano, you don't have to leave." Ringo said walking over to me.

I looked up from her trying to read the girl's expression. "I have to. Things have already been settled." I stated. Slinging the bag over my shoulder, I headed for the door.

"Kurizaki-san", someone called out. I let my hand drop from the doorknob to turn and face whoever it was thinking they could stop me from leaving. With her arms occupied with carrying a child, Rika looked at me, her gaze freezing me in place. "You're welcome back anytime." She said her voice soothing and calm compared to the shouting from earlier. The room was now quiet with all eyes focused on my next move.

I gulped feeling my throat tighten. This welled up feeling inside felt foreign as my brain tried to figure out what it even was. I gripped the doorknob tighter trying to stabilize myself who shook from weak knees. The realization that I would not come back here was finally hitting me. Would I regret throwing this sense of comfort away? Shaking my head, I made up my mind wanting to believe this was the best decision for me.

"Thank you all for allowing me to stay here up to this point. I'm really grateful for that." I said giving a small bow to everyone. I looked over at Ikki who was now calm, yet still showed obvious signs of disagreement to my departure. In the end, I would never regret his kindness when he found me at the park that night. Then, my focus shifted towards Akito who stared at the ground in a sad state. Memories of the few times I was saved by Agito surfaced, but I knew the Fang King wouldn't even acknowledge my gratitude. "See you later then." I added before leaving the house.

Alone, I walked down the road clutching a piece of paper in my hand. It contained the address to my new apartment that luckily wasn't too far from my school. Even one of the other members lived next door which I wasn't sure if it would be a blessing or a curse. I waited quietly at the crosswalk watching the cars speeding past. Already I missed the warmth of the Noyamano house with the sudden cold air sinking into my skin.

"Kurizaki-san!" I turned my head in the direction of the voice wondering who had called my name. Running up the street was Akito waving over at me to get my attention. I tried to give my best smile.

"What are you doing here?" I questioned once he caught up to me.

He ignored my question at first. Akito simply gave me a tight hug which left me in a confused state. Awkwardly, I returned the gesture until he felt satisfied. Once he let go, the boy reached for his eyepatch and switched it to his other eye. The now uncovered one slowly opened up revealing the same amber iris, but with a slitted pupil. Instantly, I knew this was Agito with the innocent expression replaced by a more fierce look. The boy gritted his teeth and reached for my collar pulling me up to face him. As short as I had heard the Fang King was, apparently he changed over the past year while I still remained the same.

"I don't know what the fuck you think you're doing, but from now on I'm done saving your ass all the time." He hissed narrowing his eye at me.

I slapped his hand away already knowing he would say something like that. I was tired of him showing up whenever I seemed to be in trouble the most. We were both on the same road, and it was about time I considered him another adversary like everyone else. "Well good, I won't be needing your help anyways." I said straightening my crumpled collar. "If that was all you had to say, then bye." The light had finally changed with all the cars stopping. I readjusted my bag over my shoulder before crossing the street.

"Damn", Agito muttered under his breath by the time I was on the other side of the road.

"You really have no talent dealing with the ladies." A voice sounded in his head. Agito simply ignored it and turned back to head home.

25 minutes, 45 seconds and counting

It took me a little less than half an hour to reach my new home. The apartment complex seemed worn down and wasn't located in the best part of town. Someone was digging through one of the resident's trash, but didn't seem to notice me as I walked up the stairs to my room. In a matter of moments, I was face to face with the door. My hand shook trying to get the key in the lock. The nerves lessened slightly once the door unlocked and I stepped in.

"I'm home." I said aloud to the empty space. It replied back in silence diminishing any good mood left in me.

Quietly, I settled in. My bag was tossed to a corner along with my ATs propped up against the wall. Apparently someone else had been here for I found a few blankets and a pillow in the hallway closet. The floor was a bit dusty, but I was too tired at this point to care. At the end of the day, I survived a battle with that Azusa guy and left the people who treated me like family. This sudden change I knew was needed, but drained me entirely. Wrapping myself in the thin sheet, I managed to get some sleep hoping that this arrangement wouldn't cause me to catch a cold.

The next day I woke up still as healthy as the day before. There was no more childish bickering and the smell of Rika's cooking like before this morning though. I quickly got ready for school nervous about how I would face everyone today. Ignoring the lack of food in the fridge, I slipped on my ATs and headed for the door.

"What's this?" I said to myself noticing an envelope by the doorway. I ripped it open to pull out the letter. Apparently someone from the team would be watching over me at school to keep me in line. While I dreaded the thought of having a babysitter, if it helped me to gain the trust of my team faster, then so be it.

The bell rang starting class. I sat down in my usual seat that now had a clear view of the board. For some reason, Agito hadn't shown up to class yet. Kazu and Onigiri were here, but I felt like I wasn't in a position anymore to ask nor even associate myself with them. The teacher finally arrived with lessons carrying on like usual. There was extra time before break and so while I was busy working on homework, I failed to notice someone enter the room.

"And here I thought you wouldn't show." I overheard Kazu say as the chair in front of my desk was pulled out for the student to take his seat. "Why so late?"

"Damn crow didn't wake me up." Agito answered. I felt his eyes staring at me, but I didn't have the courage to acknowledge him. Right when the feeling was becoming unbearable, the bell rang signaling the start of break. I quickly took my chance to leave the classroom to hopefully clear my head for a bit.

I walked down the hallway by myself to get a drink. Already, my wallet was completely empty and so I relied on the drinking fountain just down the hallway. Splashing some of the water on my face to cool my head, I noticed someone waiting beside me.

"Oh sorry I didn't mean to hog it all to myself." I apologized thinking the boy was patiently waiting for his turn to use the fountain.

He looked down at me in silence causing the atmosphere to become uncomfortable. I noticed his cyan eyes seemed familiar along with the flaming red hair. This boy was none other than the one I fought just yesterday and now was my teammate. Thinking back to the letter, I assumed he was the person that was supposed to watch over me. Why they chose him, however, I had yet to figure out.

"You're Azusa right?" I asked stepping aside so he could use the fountain.

After getting a drink, he wiped off any water dripping from his mouth before answering. "Yes. Azusa Sato." He said averting his gaze from me.

"Right. Well I'm Ayano Kurizaki. It's nice to meet you, when we don't have to fight each other this time." I said trying to smile. His expression remained neutral despite that.

He gave a slight nod. We stood silent in the hallway both unsure of what else to do. I knew break would be ending soon and so decided to be the first to move. Azusa quietly followed behind me for some reason. Occasionally I looked back to see if he was still there, and to my dismay he hadn't left even when I arrived back at class. Opening the door, I collided into someone who was leaving the room. I stumbled back with Azusa firmly gripping my arm to keep me from falling. I looked at who I had bumped into wanting to apologize, but my face quickly fell at the sight of the perverted pig, Onigiri.

"Oh well look who it is," he grinned rubbing the back of his head. I cringed noticing his flushed face and petrifying gaze that made me shiver. "Can't say it isn't completely bad to see you again miss B-."

My cheeks grew red from anger. Rolling up my sleeves, I balled my hands into fists ready to punch the boy. Azusa only tightened his grip on my arm with his usual unphased self. I looked back at him trying to get the message across that I planned to beat this kid.

"Kogarasumaru's Onigiri." Azusa spoke up. He finally let go of my arm to lean in closer at the other guy. The serious look in his eyes made even me feel uncomfortable as if he could see through a person making them almost translucent.

"Yeah that's me. Now move kid you're blocking the view of the B- chick." Onigiri said trying to look past Azusa.

"You really do seem like a pathetic, sweaty pig." Azusa stated as if the insult wasn't even intended. I could see the irritation in the other boy's eyes. In case Azusa planned to make the situation even worse, I pulled him away from Onigiri and back into the hall. I tried to tell him his words were uncalled for, but it seemed as if my chastising was falling on deaf ears.

Just when I thought the situation couldn't get any worse, I saw the rest of Ikki and his gang strolling through the hallway. Ikki and I locked eye contact for a moment before he looked away with disappointment. My anticipation dropped seeing that things really had changed after all. I expected them all to simply carry on, but Yayoi strayed away from the group. She looked from Azusa to me and then back again as if the redhead was some sort of alien transfer.

The girl hesitated. "Um who's this Kurizaki-san?" She asked gesturing over at Azusa.

"Oh he's Azusa Sato. We're…" I trailed off unsure of how to introduce him just yet. I couldn't reveal we were teammates, and surely we weren't close enough to be friends.

"Our parents work together. I recently transferred here and so she's showing me around." He explained without missing a beat.

"Yeah." I agreed seeing this was the story he wanted to go with.

Yayoi nodded believing us. "You're quite the kind person then Kurizaki-san", she smiled. "It was nice meeting you Sato-san. Hopefully we can all hang out at lunch or after school." she added looking at me in hopes that I would accept the offer. I hesitated knowing I couldn't make that promise, but also didn't want her questioning why. "I better head to class. Goodbye." She said waving at us before running down the hallway to catch up with her friends. I breathed a sigh of relief glad she was gone.

"Yayoi Nakayama." Azusa said.

"You've seen her before?" I asked.

"No." He stated just as the bell rang. "Isn't it only natural to know the enemy though?" He added.

I shook my head in agreement now understanding it. Now though, I realized that Kogarasumaru really was just another enemy. One day maybe our teams would clash. Just the thought worried me, but I had to keep that to myself. Focusing on fitting into this new team was first priority.

Days passed with this new adjustment getting smoother each time. Azusa remained by my side whenever possible. At first it irritated me, but considering I had thrown away my connection with Kogarasumaru, he really was my only friend at this school now. Not to mention, he brought the most amazing lunches ever. I questioned him at one point curious about who made them. He admitted it was his brother to my surprise, but quickly added that i was to never mention that to Akira or risk getting a beating.

"Ayano-san?", Azusa called out as we were having lunch outside once again. I would have preferred eating inside than this, however he convinced me that the feeling of the wind and taste of nature's air made lunch all the more appetizing. That still didn't make sense to me, yet he always seemed more pleased when not confined to the classroom so I stopped my protests by now.

"Yes?" I said taking some of his carrots from his lunch. Apparently he wasn't fond of vegetables to begin with and so happily let me eat them in his stead.

"Akira suggested that I'd take you to a Parts War sometime before we started letting you participate in our own."

I laughed finding that a bit ridiculous. I was well aware of what Parts Wars were and it wasn't like this was my first team. "You know I'm not some amateur right?"

Azusa paused in the middle of eating. "I know." He answered. "However, this isn't just any Parts War. It's a battle between two high ranking teams, around our level. Akira just wants to make sure you know what you're getting yourself into." He added.

I simply shrugged still thinking the battle wouldn't be all that interesting. It was still a good idea to engage with the members, and considering Azusa and I were becoming fast friends, I shouldn't pass up on the opportunity. Taking up on his offer, lunch ended and I headed back to class. I made sure to make a mental note to be free for the upcoming Parts War.

As I walked in, I noticed Akito was just staring off into space. Usually it would be Agito glaring or ignoring everyone. So not only was I confused, but also wondering why Akito was in charge this time. It had been a while since I exchanged words with anyone relating to Ikki. The thought of whether everyone even mentioned me or simply forgot about me always crossed my mind. A day never passed where I didn't regret leaving the Noyamano house.

I decided to finally break the silence. "Akito, something on your mind?" I asked taking my seat behind him.

Luckily, Akito snapped out of his own thoughts and turned back to acknowledge me. Butterflies welled up inside of me who was happy to finally talk to someone I had begun to consider a friend before my departure. "Ayano…" he trailed off almost caught off guard by the sound of my voice. I guessed he too didn't think a day would come where we'd exchange words once again. My question seemed to have finally registered in his head for he spoke again to answer me. "It's just that the person you've been hanging out with, he seems familiar is all. I just can't remember where I've seen him before, neither can Agito."

"You mean Azusa?" I said surprised that Akito felt to have met the boy before. Azusa never mentioned having any connection with Ikki and his friends before, so I doubted the two ever met. "Well, he never said anything about seeing you before. Maybe you're thinking of someone else." I smiled trying to be optimistic about it. My smile quickly faded at the fact that Akito looked more serious than before.

"I'm sure it's him. Whenever I see his face, I get a bad feeling." He admitted looking away as if the comment would offend me. It did make me wonder how Azusa could make Akito worry like that. The boy seemed so relaxed and friendly to me. "You should just be careful Kurizaki-san."

"Thanks Akito. I'll be sure to stay on my guard." I said wanting to at least reassure him that I could take care of myself. The teacher soon arrived and so our conversation had to come to an end. While I wished we could have talked more, it was a good thing to know that my effort to reconnect wasn't in vain.

The day of the Parts War soon arrived. It was straight after school and so I was in a rush to meet Azusa by the gates. Once I changed my shoes, I saw Akito walking away from Ikki. Curiosity got the better of me, and I continued to watch Akito run off. I felt like it wasn't my place to ask Ikki what had happened, but I knew I shouldn't continue to act like we had never met in the first place. With Azusa not here just yet, I walked over to Ikki. "Hey, Ikki-", a hand was placed over my mouth cutting me off. I was soon dragged away from my chance only to realize it was Azusa who pulled me away.

"C'mon, we're gonna be late if we stall any longer." He said grabbing my hand. I followed, occasionally looking back at Ikki who was soon joined with his friends.

While I wasn't new to being in Parts Wars, I never did just come to spectate. It felt weird just coming to watch, but Azusa kept me distracted by holding a conversation. He told me the teams battling today are team Knockerz versus team Storm. Both sounded unfamiliar so I felt more inclined to watch the match now. It was even decided that the battle method was balloon. Not only was this a match between two A-class teams, but also the hardest battle system to truly bring out the teamwork and skills on both sides. Just the thought was exciting and all I could think about.

Once we were at the arena where the battle would take place, it hit me: I had to pee. Azusa didn't mind me leaving for a few moments, and told me where the bathroom was. Quickly I took off wanting to hurry so I wouldn't miss the match. In only a few minutes, I was done and ready to head back to the stands where everyone else was. To my dismay, I wasn't finding any of my surroundings recognizable. The crowd was growing less and less, and I started to hear the announcer ticking away the minutes to the match over the intercom.

"Where do you think you're going?" I felt a hand push me back a few steps. Looking up, there was a much bigger man standing in my path. He glared down at me with a disgusted look as if I had done some incredible misdeed.

"Back to the stands. I just got a little lost is all." I said trying to keep my tone leveled. Thinking that was all that needed to be said, I walked past him, only to have him skate in front of me once again.

"I can lead you back then. For a small price." He grinned as if the offer was the best deal in the world.

I was already walking away not really caring for my direction as long as it was far from him. "No thanks." I said before he grabbed my arm halting my escape. The action ended my good mood. "Can't you take a no for an answer? You're ugly, smell, and already making me have to go to the bathroom again with how upset my stomach is from you're revolting appearance." I went off trying to pull away.

His face twisted in anger obviously from my remark. "I'm trying to let loose before this stupid-ass match bitch. Now get with the program before I make you." He said as it dawned on me that he must be one of the riders in the Parts War today. While it was idiotic to be wasting time with me while he should be preparing for the battle, I decided to focus my energy into escaping than wasting my breath on him.

He took a solid punch to the face and still hadn't loosened his grip. I was beginning to really wonder why I was having such bad luck with running into the wrong kind of people. Just when I planned to scream until he either gave up or the match was about to start, the guy took a hit to the balls by someone from behind. He dropped to his knees finally letting go of me.

The culprit behind the hit was a much smaller boy wearing a blue jacket and dark pants. He had this wild atmosphere about him. What caught my attention the most, were his eyes with a strange pattern I've never seen before. The golden amber and blue hair reminded me of Akito's to the point where I almost thought this could be the same person.

"Move. You're in the way." He said walking past the scene. I could see an emblem on his back making me guess he was from the other team, Storm.

'So cool.' I thought awestruck. Snapping myself out of it, I saw a sign directing to the stands for the spectators. Quickly I made my way to my seat seeing that Azusa bought snacks while I was gone. He looked over at me, his expression obviously curious as to what took me so long. I simply ignored it and sat down. He eventually returned his focus to the match that was just starting.

Appearing on the giant screen was a man wearing a tv on his head. He held up a microphone and began to start the battle. "Ladies and gentlemen, feast your eyes on a Parts War between the mysterious one-man team, Storm", from one side came a puff of smoke followed by the blue haired boy I met earlier, "versus our home boys, team Knockerz", from the other side came the challenging team. "These guys are ready to duke it out in an A-class event. Loser sacrifices not only their street cred, but also the team must disband, never to be seen again. Now let's get straight to the match." By now, the balloon had been set up and was floating in the sky. Anticipation welled up in my heart as I was silently cheering for team Storm to win of course.

"On your mark..get set..go!"


End file.
